Four Years Later
Team Titan Think Tank 'Issue 1- '"Four Years Later." Front cover- shows the centre of a round table. At the centre of the table is a big, silver T in bold, embossed in a silver circle; around the symbol are hands, the hands of each character, laid upon the table. Of one set of hands, the right is a red scaled, long-clawed hand of a velociraptor, with a stylish cuff of a smart suit visible before the cutoff. The other is raised, and although the wrist and cuff are the same, it is turned and adopted a lesser version of the typical villain "grasping for the sky" motion - toward the fingers, the hand begins to get larger and greener, the claws on it looking especially deadly. A humanoid hand shape is placed on the table, covered in jet black casing, catching the light almost as if it were liquid. Coursing down through grooves in the armour are dark red lines. They flow to the fingertips and seem to spread to the underside of the palm and fingertips, and are quite dim as to almost be hard to see. Human male hands that look slightly aged can be seen, on one wrist can be seen a watch with an image of a top hat behind a tea cup on its face. The cuffs of an expensive looking but somewhat garishly pink coloured suit can also be seen. A pair of small, very pale female hands, with brutally chewed nails, slightly covered by white sleeves , are frozen in a position of 'restless fidget', slightly intertwined at the fingers. They seem to be being kept as far away from touching the hands of anyone else as is physically possible.A pair of strong hands rest lightly on the table's surface, wrapped in light blue bandages. His arms are covered by a deep red armoured bodysuit. A Chinese dao has been placed next to his hands, the steel blade reflecting the light. There is a human hand upon the table, gripping slightly into the wood with poised tension. An aura of glowing energy surrounds the flesh giving the appearance of a leather glove of which the third finger is missing. Out of the gap shines a long and ornate blade. A small set of hands reach the table, they look strangely plain. There are the white sleeves of a hoodie or jumper. The issue opens to show the landscape of Titan City; it is an artificial city that floats off of the Coast of Cornwall. Unlike your average British city, it has a host of towering skyscrapers, but also bizarrely older architecture, and not of old english kind, but of ancient greek origin. The city also, near its centre, plays host to an array of statues of ancient greek gods, titans and heroic figures. In the city's direct centre is a what appears to be a massively out of place overgrown jungle, and not far east of that lies a wasteland where the Town Hall once was; the area looks like its been hit by a small meteorite... oh wait, it was. In fact, much of the once well to do, high flying central districts of the city have either been reduced to rubble, or there is just nothingness where the buildings were. Panning out, the reader can see that much of the city has been laid to waste; as the comic pans out again, the wake of the destruction carved through streets, punctuated by gigantic, dead vines having burst out of the earth, important intersections and buildings, forms the Chinese symbol of destiny, when viewed at the distance that a map would represent. The comic cuts further to the east of the city, where the body of a 500ft high red-shelled insectoid cyborg creatures lies among destroyed buildings, surrounded by thousands of dead humanoid insects with the same coloured red shell, and the area around it is covered by wrecks of spaceships with a similar appearance. Rescue helicotpers swarm over these sights, military in nature; the reader can also see lots of soldiers in the streets, tanks, military jeeps and what not, helping people from rubble, setting up soup kitchens, providing medical aid and so on. The sight of any emergency services vehicle or personnell is very rare. It is a once proud city, torn asunder. Of course, conducting the rescues, are the heroes of Team Titan. Narration- "Four Years Ago. After the defeat of the Tyrant of Creation and the subequent appearance of the Kraan Overmind from the future." Cain walks through the streets, orderly squads of six human-formed minions behind him. He sweeps his gaze over each situation, sending off individual dinosaurs to deal with lesser or moderate dangers, then directing whole squads at larger ones, striding with purpose and efficiently jabbing a long claw at any and all threats to civilians. Mr Psychic does his best to organise people fleeing in a more orderly fashion, directing them with a handy cane.Cain is a straight-backed humanoid velociraptor, evidently from his face, claws and feet. He carries himself with dignity, and in a well cut business suit. In some frames he is seen quaking momentarily, changing colour, then demonstrating other powers such as a hefty ankylosaurus tail to help clear rubble, before reverting back to his familair red-scaled self. Mr Psychic is dressed in a three piece pink and orange suit. His face looks aged but experienced with a friendly tone. He also wears a monocle and top hat, and sports a pencil moustache. The comic also shows shots of other Team Titan members that survived the last two battles unsca\thered, directing rescues. Tommy Gunn is seen in the suit his debuted to fight the Tyrant after having faked his own death to build it; the suit, unlike all past Gunn suits, is not black, but has its colours styled by the British flag, but otherwise, its design is similar, quite clunky in appearance, making Gunn about a foot wider in width and height, but has no external weapons, though there are the jet thrusters coming from the feet. "Suit- activate emergency protocols- natural disaster." "Activating." "Ta." Over several panels, devices open out of the suit. Soon enough, Gunn is projecting out spherical force fields that are enveloping rubble and lifting massive piles of it into the air. In a more classic Gunn suit, Gunn's wife, in her costumed idenity of Deus ex Machina, is seen flying down and lifting an upturned oil tanker, putting it back upright. People are seen descending out of a building that has been ripped in half, as they climb down a roof bridge made of vines, as at the bottom of the bridge stands Green Man, six foot high, made of moss and algae with no head other than a slightly bublous, featureless promonition from the top of the body, and four large, wide limbs, which are directed at the bridge, as extra vines grow around it to strengthen it. Many other heroes are seen conducting resuce in the background, including Prometheus, grabbing people off the roof of a very tall building, as he stands at 160ft in height, clad in his white toga, as usual, though it is somewhat torn. "Attention, people of Titan City." The voice is heard across Titan City, as civilians and heroes both are seen looking up towards the voice. The comic cuts to Gunn flying upward. "Blitzy..." "Your heroes have defeated my allies, The Tyrants. But then, they were never my allies. Their leader, Myth, the one you will remember as THE Tyrant, used me. So in return, I used him. And them. And zey did zere work admirably. Titan City has been gutted like a fish. Many of its heroes, lie dead. But, reconstruction is in order. And I, shall be its architect. After having brought you low, I shall build you up again. You shall reach ze heavens... but under -my- guidance." Gunn zooms into the air "BLITZZZZZZZY!" he yells "Suit- Titan Island!" "Loading specifications." "MY control" utters Blitzkrieg's voice. The comic cuts to show Blitzkrieg, sat in a large leather chair. Blitzkrieg, being made of completely black metal, a skeletal android, literally. Within his eyes sockets burn balls of electricity, which occasionally turns to fire, or balls of green fire. His metal skeleton body is engraved with swashtikas, and the swashtika flows with whatever energy lies within the eyes. His elongated fingers currently have the signature clawes retracted. His elbows, shoulders and knee joints have sharp spikes and instead of hair, he has long dreadlock like wiring, which runs down his back, sparking with electricity at the end and he is wrapped in a tattered black cloak."Wrench. Activiate ze nanite bombs. All of zem. I vill deal with our nat." He presses a button. The comic cuts to show a massive yellow beam shooting from the sky at Gunn, shooting him into the sea. The comic then cuts to show small explosions raging across the city in a double paged spread. The comic cuts to Green Man watching it all. "Oh bum." As on the next page, massive black clouds are seen rising from the areas of the explosions, spreading across the city, among the populace, as the nanites fuse with the people around them.Tommy Gunn bursts out of the sea. "Team Titan. Its nanites. Everywhere. We're nanite-free, thanks to Bast (never thought I'd say that...) but everbody else... everyone, I need evac, now. Otherwise they'll be none of us. Everybody, get out... now. I'll cover you." Gunn rockets at Titan Island, or Blitzkrieg Island, which he nows sees, transparent but visible to him, flying above the city, spewing out Recihdroids. "Cover a retreat? On your own, clearly boy, you've never been in a war. But I have" comes a comms. The comic cuts to Iron Jack stood on the top of a skyscraper. Narration- "Iron Jack- the original powersuited hero." Iron Jack is in full power-suit mode, his armour being brass-coloured metal; his helmet a dome enclosing his entire head and face, with one singular red eye. He wields a futuristically upgraded winchester rifle. Behind him stand several silhouettes."Team Titan Black- we aren't heroes. We're soldiers working for the heroes. Time to earn our wage. Cover the retreat." As he fires, and a Reichdroid exploded, the comic cuts to Director Waterstone. She has black hair, slightly curled, going down to her shoulders, and wears large black sunglasses and has a serious look and scowl which diminishes her otherwise tall, athletic, attractive figure, and wears a long red jacket that goes down to her knees. She has a hand to her comms. "And how exactly are you planning to evac us? If Blitzkrieg's nanites take the city, the rest of the world isn't safe. He'll take over the world. For real. Where do we escape to?" "I've got it covered. Contingency plans, Laura. If you're gonna lead this team, thats something you need to learn..." "-You- lead this team, Gunn!" The comic cuts to Gunn flying on his own right at the central tower of Blitzkrieg Island. "Did. Sakura, this is Gunn on private comms, you there?" "And terrified." "Good. it will keep you alive. Get clear of the city. Then its times for that thing you always wanted to see if you could do." "What's that?" Gunn ploughs into the side of the tower, punching through the swatiska. "Put Titan City in a Dimensional Pocket." Narration- "Four Years Later." The comic shows the cornish coast from above; along a cliffside, a small settlement exists. Narration- "Highport- the temporary settlement for the refugees of Titan City." A lot of construction work is active, the buildings mostly prefab, but amongst the settlement there is one hi-tech structure; it is red in appearance, and looks like a massive dome shaped super-base squatted on the lowered legs of a mechanical spider. Narration- "Prometheus Base, HQ of Team Titan Prime, Planet Titan and the centre of administration for the Global Superhuman Peacekeeping Directive." The comic cuts to inside, Director Waterstone walking through the metal corridors. Waterstone goes over to a door panel and presses a button. "Cain, are you there?" "Hardly the time to be tardy, is it Miss Waterstone?" "That's -Mrs- Waterstone. I may not have taken Steve's surname, but we're still married. Open the door then." The door slides away to show Cain's quarters in the base - they alternate between totally bare and riddled with document binders, devices and maps, and at present he is sat at a desk poring over a digital tablet of some kind, fervently trying to absorb something from it. He looks away from it, placing it down carefully and standing to give a small bow as she enters. "And to what do I owe *this* pleasure?" "I'm putting a team together. I need you on it. Don't think about chuckling about that statement." "I wouldn't dare." he says, face darkening slightly. "And why, pray tell? Have my current associates grown too close, perhaps? Would you want to throw me in with another squad of... individuals, who can't stand the sight of me?" "This team are gonna be mostly new to you. And anyway, what they think doesn't matter. This isn't gonna be a matter of national teams, or public things. We know that doesn't work. This is about getting Titan City back. And if we're gonna do that, we need to be smart. I need a team of smart. I need you to be on that team. You helped what happened to Titan City. That makes you highly qualified to -undo- it. Kapiche?" "Well, Director, of *course* I intend to cooperate. As I have since this whole blasted disaster took place." he said, somewhat wearily. "Give me a when, and a where, Waterstone, and I shall endeavor to provide whatever... direction, this 'team' needs. Or, should you prefer? Kapiche." he nods. He ends with a probably friendly, but certainly needle-toothed smile. "I don't need you to give it direction, but i do need you to be part of it. One kind of smart isn't going to do. I need lots of smart. You're my guy for group tactics, and for intimate knowledge of the enemy." She goes to the door. "Two days. 0900hrs. Bring Tops if you want. I know he's your hands, an' all. Chow." She presses the door button and exits. "Splendid." Cain sighs to himself, slinking into the chair again, clutching his head in one claw as he goes back to his papers, "I shall rally the *troop* in short order..." The scene cuts to an ordinary man, ordinarily dressed, reclining in an ornate chair. The next panel pans out to show a controller in his hands, his expression remains completely serious. The screen before him flashes with video game violence. He gives a small grin with an idea that just flashed to mind. Black leather trousers and the bottom of a long red coat appear in the panel behind him" James. I need a word."His eyes flick once behind him to the approaching figure, but then dash back to the screen.The comic shows a female hand with black nails landing on one shoulder. "James. Super-hero stuff. A word. You -can- play and talk, I'm sure." He puts down the controller and turns to her, "Super-hero, you say? I'm listening-" he grins. "Wow. The Director of the Global -Superhuman- Peacekeeping Directive has super-hero stuff for you to do? Who knew." Waterstone's face comes into the reader's view on the next pabel, above the back of the sofa. "I'm putting together another team to go back into the city. I know you might be apprehensive after losing your brother but... well, I need your skillset. And most importantly..." she taps him on the head "whats in here." "I'm in," he gave a stretch. "Being stuck in here is certainly doing me no good." "Well, your unique... situation... makes it difficult to put you on any GSPD team. But for this... well this... well Titan City's situation kinda defies any regulations we've got. So I'm taking who I need", she holds out a hand. "Welcome to the Think Tank, Games Master." He takes her hand, gives a good shake and replies, "I am glad I can begin to help, Waterstone." The comic cuts to show Waterstone leaving Prometheus Base, getting in a black car, and going out into Highport.On the outskirts of the little town is a red telephone box. She gets inside it, and dials the old style phoneRING RINGRING RING. The receiving end is in a rustic looking living room as a man picks the receiver up. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "Its Waterstone. I have a job for you." He takes a sip from a fine china teacup, "A job, you say? Are we talking a simple job or a battle against rapscallions?" "We're talking another foray into Titan City. But I'm not talking about pulling out refugees this time. No more little battles. I am sending in a specialist team. Its a one way trip. You go in, and you bring down Blitzkrieg's entire regime. And for that, I need smarts... lots of them. And you... well my other smartest guys are busy keeping Titan City safely contained. That makes you my smartest guy." He puts down his cup and twirls his moustache, "Most intriguing. Most of my resources aren't within my reach but I do have a small cache I procured as I fled. Nevertheless, I shall see that ruffian Blitzkrieg brought to justice!" "Thought you might. Pleasure to have you on board, Mr Psychic. Hows proving to the courts you didn't die and simply just disappeared in space and time for 52 years going?" "One step at a time, good madam. I simply need to continue making my presence known and to funnel my remaining resources as best I can." "Well, making your presence known... that we can do. Lets make Blitzkrieg rue the day he tangled with Mr Psychic, eh?" "Oh, indeed, good lady." The comic cuts to show a series of small prefab buildings, surrounded by a high fence; within the fence is a playground filled with children. The sign above the gate says "Highport Junior and Infants School." Director Waterstone is bent down as a small brown haired four old boy comes running at her and dives into her arms and she ruffles his hair and... smiles! "Have a good day at school, Lukie?" "Yessssssssss, muuuuuuuummmmm..." He has a backpack with a cartoon kangaroo with boxing gloves on it, hanging from one shoulder. As the older kids begin to leave the school doors in mass one of the ten year old boys parts off waving to his friends, heading for Waterstone and Lukie. He has short blonde hair spiked up just visible under his bright white hoodie, black backback sans cartoon kangaroo ((don't make his size, life sucks)) and bright blue jeans and white trainers with a red stripe horiziontal. His hands are tucked into his hoodie pockets as he reaches inot his pockets. His face seems to be very plain, like you know you've seen him before but you can't put your finger on it. Waterstone puts Luke down and raises up her hand to give the older boy a high five. "Hey, Reb. Good day?" He high fives her. "Yeah sure was Laura," He leans closer like this is a massive secret, the biggest ever. "I think Susan likes me, you know like LIKE like...and despite what the others say i don't need a cootie shot..." he looks back then to waterstone again "Do i?" "Reb.. you're a ten year old who's going to be doing his GCSEs next year. -Of- course you know you don't need a cootie shot. And if you say Susan Granger likes likes you... then I believe you" as they talk, as she holds Luke's hand, and walks with Reb away from the school. "You're instincts are never wrong. Speaking of you being a smart kid with undeniable instincts... how would you like to help your adopted mum with some stuff?" She leans in and grins. "Work stuff." His face lights up in a big kinda heart jerkingly sweet smile "OHHHH REALLY? YOU SWEAR?""I swear.""YAY", he does an air pump. "Can Iiiiii go tooooooo mummmmm?" says Luke. "Young man, you are four, and have no super powers." "Buttttttttttt Reb's ten and he has a RUBBISH power! He can't punch ANYBODY!" "Pfft not rubbish... my power is too awesome for a dweeb like you to appreciate...I could totally punch people..." he pouts. "Just don't need to is all..." "Exactly. Thats why I'm asking. I need someone who doesn't just punch. I need smarts. You won't be on the front line. The team'll protect you. And you can pick them up if they need it. I can't say it won't be dangerous. But I am not sending the team in till you know each other inside out, okay?" "Ok, i'll do my best Laura,"She ruffles his hair. "You'll do better than that." The comic cuts to show Waterstone taking her kids to a house in Highport, then back to Prometheus Base on her own and flying away in a jet as the roof opens up. Narration- "A Top-secret GSPD sponsored underground laboratory." The comic cuts to show lift doors opening as Waterstone steps out. The comic shows her perspective of the laboratory and the person she has come to meet...Leaning over one of the tables facing away from the door, scribbling notes, is a skinny, rather bland-looking woman of average height, in a labcoat. Her dirty blonde hair falls in a poker straight plait running approximately halfway down her back. Balanced on the top of her head is a pair of lab goggles. Her hands, small and unlined with chewed nails, clutch the pen tightly, and she jumps slightly as the lift door 'pings'. "Jumpy much, Stevens?" "...Me, sir...never, not at all..."She puts down the pen and turns around. "To w-what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Her hands, and her dull brown eyes, never seem to stay still. "I'm putting together a team of experts. Your expertise in particular wil be vital." "...You w...want me to work with other people? That...doesn't seem the best idea..." "This team includes my adopted kid and a dinosaur. Don't even get me started on the best idea, doc. But I need you, all of you, nontheless. I need all the different kinds of smarts i can get to solve the biggest immediate problem I have to deal with right now. And that problem is Blitzkrieg City." "...You're sending me to where....where he is? Don't you need me here?" "Your support staff know what they're doing, they have access to all your research notes.Look, I know you have granpa issues. This is your chance to solve them. He was on our side. Then Blitzkrieg took over. If you help the team find a way to undo all that... you can save your granpa once and for all. And you won't have to do this job for me anymore. All that, and you get paid too. More than your current pay... superhero work's high on danger pay..." "...But...what if I...accidentally...you know...um..." "You won't." She doesn't look convince.Waterstone comes over, and places a palm over one of the doc's. "You won't. You can't afford to. If i send you into the city, losing control of your powers will be the least of your worries. And i'm sending one of my kids in there. So channel your worries elsewhere, okay, then you'll do fine. Kapiche?" She gives a nervous nod "...Ok...but...tell them not to leave my lab in a mess..." Waterstone turns to look at the lab staff. "You here that? Anybody leaves this lab in a mess, then I'm gonna send in Random Man. And god knows what he'll do to you. In fact, he won't. Hence Random. Got it?" Everyone nods. The scientist looks horrified at the concept of Random Man in her lab. "Okay uh... maybe I should have gone for a better threat. It'll be fine, don't you worry."She guides out the horrified looking Tonic with the back of her hand gently against her back. The comic cuts to show the jet Waterstone has flying once again, as it flies to China, approaching an old monastery at the top of a hill. Narration- "Team Titan- China, HQ." As the monastery walls suddenly sink into the ground, leaving a landing pad, as the jet and landing pad are taken underground, into a hi-tech facility. The comic cuts to Waterstone stood outside a large interior window, looking upon a vast, open chamber. Wooden posts project from the floor, walls and ceiling and random points. A blur flashes past the window, before exploding into light. A man appears near one of the posts with the same flash, swings a blade and flashes away again. Near impossible to follow, the man blinks from post to post to post, cutting each one down in turn. He comes to a halt in the middle of the chamber and looks up at Waterstone. He has short, dark hair, hard eyes and an acrobat's physique. His training gear is drenched in sweat and a Chinese dao hangs loosely from one hand. A dull metal belt is wrapped around his waist, upon which is fixed a small device, a red light showing that it is active. "Master of Arms, could I have a word?" she says through a mic.The man nods and walks towards the chamber's only door, hanging up the blade as he goes. After a short wait, he appears through a door further along the corridor and approaches Waterstone. "Remember that deal we made a few years back? Well, the time has come."His eyes widen briefly, before narrowing. He nods. "Good." "Walk with me." He falls into step with her, eyes staring forward. "I'm putting together a squad. A new team, specialised to go into Titan City, and to end the problem there once and for all. I want the nanite threat neutralised and Blitzkrieg and his regime brought down. But this team is gonna be new to each other, and most are novices to the hero scene, and most, totally green. This is where you come in. I need you to train the team. To gel them together. I don't want you to lead them, unless you turn out to be the best fit for that. I want you to train them, and find a leader, whoever it may be. I've looked through all my files on tactical experts, and my team has one already, but you, you also have an innate understanding of people he doesn't. So i want you to train them. Are you up for it?" He listens in silence, nodding slowly. "If this is the only way, then I will do it." "I'm sure there's a TON of ways. But this is the one I have chosen. If you don't want to train them, then my husband can do it. But, I'd prefer someone who is going in with the team. Annnnnnnd,... Steve bless him, isn't the smartest guy, though he does understand about messing with your enemies head. You, however, you know how people's minds work, and you know a lot about mystic stuff. And I am pretty lacking when it comes to that, right now. And Titan City's in a pocket dimension and has an army of Ethereal creatures there. So... you'll be useful to me, either way. As long as you don't make this about having your revenge. Thats just a side benefit." He remains silent for a period a little too long to be comfortable. "Fine, I understand. You have my word that I will do this, and I- we, will complete the mission in full." "Thats what I like to hear. Some confidence... though Rem isn't lacking in that..." She scratches her head. "All right, just one more potential recruit to look up." She strides off down the corridor, back to the reader and the Master of Arms"Goodbye, Mrs. Waterstone.""See you on Friday, 0900 hrs, briefing room, Prometheus Base." She turns to him and gets in the lift "Catcha later. Gotta go and ask a god about a spaceship." SWOOSH. The lift doors closes. End of issue